The Network
Although the "throwaway society" is a familiar concept to many of us today, issues relating to the life span of products have received little attention. The Network on Product Life Spans aims to address this by improving understanding of issues relating to product durability and product life extension. Increased knowledge will, we hope, be used to promote the technological and behavioural changes necessary for sustainable development.

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Who is it aimed at?
The Network on Product Life Spans, which is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) from 2004-2007, is especially aimed at manufacturers, retailers, designers, marketing managers, researchers, sustainability experts, and public policy specialists with an interest in consumer or environmental policy. Co-ordination of the Network is being undertaken by the Centre for Sustainable Consumption, Sheffield Hallam University.

The Centre for Sustainable Consumption is to be one of the expert groups involved in a new project entitled SCORE (Sustainable Consumption Research Exchanges) which has been approved for funding under European Union's Framework VI research programme.

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The aims of the network

• to increase knowledge and understanding of issues relating to the life span of consumer durables and

• to encourage innovative research projects and collaboration between industrial and academic partners

The development of the Network is intended to result in the formation of a new interdisciplinary research community focused on research relating to product durability and product life extension

A paper by Tim Cooper entitled 'Inadequate Life? Evidence of Consumer Attitudes to Product Obsolescence' has been published in the latest issue (27) of the Journal of Consumer Policy.

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Events
The EPSRC Network on Product Life Spans was launched at a seminar at Sheffield Hallam University in November 2004.

A series of events is being planned. Further details will appear on this site shortly. These events are intended to facilitate wide ranging, interdisciplinary debate and hopefully, nurture novel and adventurous research ideas.

The next event will take place in September 2005. The date and further details will be posted here when finalised. http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/slm/csc.html

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Further Information
For further advice on legislation and waste management contact Hifzi Naji at the Institute for Sustainable Development in Business ..